Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Posted in: World fighter jets After 27 years of service in US Army the famous fighter jets F-177 will be replaced by F-22 Raptor having the same stealth technology.

The Nighthawk has been in service for 27 years, and seen combat in the skies over Panama, Serbia, Iraq, and Afghanistan. It was the first purpose built stealth aircraft designed to overcome radar by deflecting it away with its faceted appearance.

According to book description of "Lockheed-Martin F/A-22 Raptor: Stealth Fighter (Aerofax)" F-22 Raptor was initially referred as the Advanced Tactical Fighter (ATF) and was designed to meet a USAF requirement for 750 new fighters to replace the F-15 Eagle.

"Work began in the early 1980s, and competition selection resulted in orders for flying demonstration prototypes of the YF-22 and the Northrop YF-23. The first of two prototypes was flown on 29th September 1990, and extensive testing and evaluation took place during that decade. In 1993 an air-to-ground attack role using precision-guided munitions was added to the original air superiority role, and the designation has been changed to F/A-22 to reflect this. The F-22 is designed to supercruise at up to Mach 1.5 without use of the afterburner, and its unusual layout is designed for agility as well as to incorporate stealth characteristics. A planned two-seat trainer version, the F-22B was cancelled, but production deliveries are now taking place, with service introduction planned for 2005. Author Jay Miller has followed the program closely to produce an extensively researched and well-illustrated review of this topical new fighter in the well-established and acclaimed Aerofax style and depth."